German WWII HJ Membership Pin-This Hitler Youth membership has excellent enamel, meaning that is it clear from any scuffing, but please look closely at the photos as the red of the enamel has darkened. This happened later in the war, as the materials for the hot fired enamel were harder to find, and switched to enamel variants due to war shortages. This is very nicely marked on the reverse with RZM M1/8 which indicates the maker being Ferdinand Wagner of Pforzheim. The silver on the reverse has toned to a dark color. The pin setup functions as it intended. Overall, very good.
History: Hitler believed German youth to be the future of his 3rd Reich. The HJ (Adolf Hitler Jugend-Hitler Youth) was formed officially in 1935, and with the exception of NSDAP ideology indoctrination was very similar to the Boy Scouts. Beginning at about the age of ten years, both boys (AH Jugend) and girls (Bund Deutscher Mädel) were enlisted in the Party-run organization.
The first HJ membership badge was a round cap badge introduced in 1929. In 1933 a second pattern HJ membership badge was introduced and utilized throughout the Third Reich era. The second pattern membership badge was utilized in a metal and enamel form on the headgear and brown shirt uniform and in a cloth form on sports shirts etc. After the introduction of the second pattern badge in 1933 the first pattern badge was still worn as a "traditions" badge until the introduction of the Golden HJ Honor Badge in June 1934.